South and Souther
by Egyptian Rose
Summary: Finished! everyone is kidnapped...well all but Botan and Hiei. they are left alone to find the others. Botan is south and Hiei is Souther. How can they manage to work together to save the others? HB. R
1. One Sunny Vacation

_I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho_

**One sunny vacation**

A girl with long blue hair that was tied up in a ponytail was walking along the beach in her blue bikini. Little did she know that she was being followed. She kept walking until two hands grabbed her and lifted her into the sky. Then next moment she found the watery bed of the ocean.  
  
"Oh yeah! I win." Yusuke started to dance.  
  
"Yusuke!" She said angrily and pretended to cry. "Why did you do that?" Yusuke said he was sorry and walked into the water.  
  
"I'm sorry." He said.  
  
"No I am." Botan smiled and dragged him into the water and held him under. "Ha! The great Yusuke Urameshi." She mocked and got out of the water to tan with Yukina and Kayko.  
  
"Ha," Kuwabara laughed. "I can't believe you fell for that," he said  
  
Kurama was laughing as well. "Indeed, what possessed you?"  
  
"Shut up." He said bitterly and walked off mumbling about a plan for revenge.  
  
"Where is Hiei?" Kayko asked  
  
"He's too good for us remember." Botan said.  
  
"That's not true." Yukina defended her brother. (She knows)  
  
Later on that day when the moon was over the waves of the silvery ocean Kayko was conversing with Yusuke about his new "job".  
  
"I'm on vacation. I don't want to talk about my job." He said _'pacifier breath, is not exactly who I want to be thinking about.'_ He thought.  
  
"Okay Yusuke." She said and put her head on his shoulders.  
  
"Okay. I'm going to get some drinks." Botan said. Then seeing that Yukina and Kuwabara were growing more comfortable, "Kurama would you be a dear and help me carry them?"  
  
"Oh. Sure." He said seeing where she was going with it.  
  
Kurama and Botan walked in silence as they left the happy couples. "So, Kurama."  
  
"Umm?" was all he said.  
  
"How is your vacation going?" Botan asked.  
  
"Fine. And yours?"  
  
"Oh well, it's okay. I just wish..."  
  
"Wish?" he pressed  
  
"That we could always have fun moments like this. We always have to fight something, you know?"  
  
"I see what you mean." Kurama said. "Don't worry about it, we will have more times like this."  
  
"It's just that when you are death you don't get many friends." She said  
  
"Friends. Or siblings." Kurama hugged her. She was like a sister to him. They would always talk about whatever they felt like. Neither judging the other. She saw him as her older brother. Botan knew what I was like to be in Yukina's shoes. Kurama was protective of her.  
  
"Come my sister. Cheer up. Let's get some ice cream." Kurama said,  
  
"I love ice cream." She said. She loved it when Kurama called her sister because she had never had a family, and if she did she could not remember them.  
  
"Well, Botan." Kurama said after the ice cream was gone, "I should be going. Tomorrow it's back to school. "He said,  
  
"Okay brother." She said  
  
"Don't stay up too late." he said as he left her.  
  
When Botan went back to the beach she looked for her friends but they were gone. Botan grew worried because they just left their things on the beach. And there were signs of a struggle. She ran back to find Kurama but all she found was his Rose. Then she was frantic...

**Das Ende**

Sorry about the cliffhanger. So what now? What happened to the others? Is Botan alone? What about School? (What the, how did that question get in there?) Throws it out what will happen if the Urameshi team is not around anymore? 


	2. Where Did Everybody go?

**Where did everybody go?**

Botan picked up the perfect Rose and sat on the sidewalk. In despair she started to weep, _'what if they are all dead? Where did they go? What do I do now?'_ she thought  
  
"Hn. Baka onna." Hiei appeared behind her.  
  
"What?" Botan looked up "Hiei?" she slumped back down _'what is he doing here?'_ she thought, Hiei must have read her mind because he let out his trademark Hn. "Are you going to help me or not?" she said  
  
"Help you with what?" he said,  
  
"The others are missing. We have to find them."  
  
"Hn. You're on your own." He said and vanished.  
  
"Hiei! How can you abandon your teammates?" Botan yelled at no one and her oar appeared next to her. She flew off to find Koenma.  
  
Hiei watched her fly off. "Hn." He said and went after her. His sister was after all one of the kidnapped. He loved to anger the normally bubbly girl. Her happiness made him want to kill himself. 

Koenma's office

"Oh Koenma sir." Botan franticly ran in to his office. Hiei walked in right after her. Botan did not see him until he stopped moving. She jumped. "Hiei?" she said in shock.  
  
"Hn." Hiei said,  
  
"Come now Botan spit it out." Koenma said.  
  
"We were all on the beach and I went with Kurama to get drinks. After we had ice cream he left and I went to find the others but were gone. Then I ran back after Kurama but he... well look." She said without a breath and held out the rose.  
  
"Calm down Botan." Koenma said, "So you are saying that the others were kidnapped." He said. "This is serious. You need to find them." He said," you and Hiei that is." He said  
  
"Hn. I don't think so." He said darkly.  
  
"Yeah, Koenma sir. Hiei is... I cannot work with him." Botan said  
  
"You can and you will, or I will have both of you in spirit jail for insubordination." With that Hiei and Botan left the room.  
  
"I have to work with Hiei. Botan muttered under her breath. _'What if he tries to kill me?'_ she thought.  
  
"I would not waist my time killing you." Hiei said,  
  
"Stay out of my head." She said then remembered that if she were mean to him he would not mind so she did the next best thing. Grinning evilly she turned to him. "Oh, Hiei won't this be fun. We get to work together and save the day." She said happily.  
  
"Hn. Baka." He said. And they went back to the beach to find clues.

* * *

Bad start I'd say. But they have to work together in order to save their friends. In the next chapter...the plot thickens 


	3. Look What I found

**Look what I found**

Botan and Hiei walked to the beach together, back to the spot where Yusuke and the others were sitting just before the kidnapping. Botan looked all around but found nothing. She slumped down in the sand in a depressed heap. Hiei just watched her.  
  
"Hn. giving up that easily?" he said and shook his head disappointedly.  
  
"I don't see you trying to help, Hiei dear." She said evilly.  
  
"Don't call me dear." he snapped, "You want my help? Fine." He closed his eyes and pulled off his white bandana and his Jagan eye opened.  
  
"You could have done that the whole time? Why did you make me worry like that?" Botan yelled  
  
"Shut up." He said and tried to concentrate. "I can't find them. That's odd." He muttered.  
  
"What?" Botan asked, "Did you find them?"  
  
"Hn." He shook his head no.  
  
"What!" Botan's eyes filled with tears. Hiei put his bandana back over his third eye. Botan's hand then brushed against something in the sand. She shot up and dug it out. "What is this?" she held up a blue orb. Hiei looked at it in recognition.  
  
"Ransom note," Was all he said. He used one once when he was on a job.  
  
"How can this be a note?" she said  
  
"Baka onna! Haven't you ever heard the saying things aren't always what they seem?" he quoted. And took the orb from her hands. He held it in his closed hands. And it began to glow, and then he threw it onto the sand. And image appeared.  
  
"I have your friends. I think I'll kill them one by one. Started with the ice apparition." Hiei jumped in anger. "That is if you can find me before a week is up. I'll be waiting, Hiei." Said the voice. Then the orb shut off but Hiei picked it up and threw it into the ocean, where it exploded.  
  
Botan was dumbstruck, "that was meant for you? This whole thing?" Hiei looked away. "Do you know who that was?" she pressed.  
  
"Hn." He disappeared._ 'Baka. Like she would care.'_ He thought  
  
Botan was left on the beach to think about what it was that happened. Why was Hiei acting so weird? Was it something she did? Botan dropped the matter and headed home, she had to wait for Hiei to tell her what they were looking for. Or who they were looking for, for that matter.

**Later that night**

Botan sat on her bed and brushed her blue hair as she always did before she went to bed. "Hiei." She said, the look of sadness that he held made her feel uneasy.She could not fall asleep so she turned on the TV to the rock music channel (I have that channel. Rock 24/7 score). She fell asleep at one in the morning, the music still blasting. The last though she had was of Hiei, but she erased it because he was a jerk and she did not want to waste her time on him (I used the right waste this time)

* * *

Do you like it so far? What kind of things do you think should happen to them? If you help you help if you don't you don't. This is fun.  
  
What is Hiei's problem? How far will they have to go in order to find their friends? 


	4. Let's go

Let's go

Botan woke in the morning, took a shower, put on a blue shirt and blue jeans, and started to make breakfast.She had to wait for Hiei to come back since she had no clue what the note meant. She was worried that they would be late. What was taking him so long? Did he not want to save his sister? His teammates?  
  
As she turned around to place her breakfast on the table when she saw Hiei sitting in a chair. "Hiei?" she jumped, "you scared me." She looked at him, he looked fine, but something in his eyes told her that he was not. "Are you...?"  
  
"I'm fine." He cut her off.  
  
"Okay, then where..."  
  
"The ice world." He answered.  
  
"That's not too bad?" Botan said. "And another thing, will you let me finish my sentences  
  
"Hn." He looked away. _'What does she know? Not too bad? For her maybe.'_ He thought,  
  
"Tell me what's wrong." She said  
  
"Hn." He turned away. "Let's go." He said  
  
"Fine then. I don't want to hear it," she said but she did not mean it and Hiei Hn'ed again.  
  
They set off for the demon world. Not packing much because the ice world wasn't to far. Botan brought a coat. "This rescue mission will be easy huh?" Botan said to break the silence.  
  
He did not say anything, knowing that it would not be so easy for him to go back to that place. They stopped at the entrance of the ice world. Hiei stopped and prepared himself for the journey. (He did it fast so Botan would not notice).

**In the dungeon**

"Do you honestly think that Hiei won't find you?" Kurama asked  
  
the dark man smiled. "I know he will. But it won't be easy. For you see I have placed a force field around the ice world to block his Jagan eye. Then the moment he steps in to the ice world he will be thrown into a series of mazes and trials. The forbidden child, just might die on his way over here."  
  
"Stop! Don't you hurt him or I will kill you." Yukina yelled and everyone looked at her. The dark man stopped in front of her and cupped her chin so she would face him. "That would be a neat trick." He laughed and left the room.  
  
"What are you doing?" Yusuke asked Kuwabara who was in the corner with a spoon.  
  
"I'm getting us out of here." He said and stuck the spoon in to the ground.  
  
"Don't!" Kurama yelled. But it was too late. Kuwabara was shocked and fell to the ground. (Twitching anime style.)  
  
"Heh, Yukina, my love, please use your powers to heal me." He said.  
  
"Yusuke?" Kayko asked, "Where do you think Botan and Hiei are right now?" she asked  
  
"Don't worry about it I'm sure they are on their way. Get some sleep." He said to her

**Ice world forest**

"Uh, Hiei." Botan said "do you know where we are going?" she asked  
  
"Of course." He said.  
  
"He speaks!" she gasped. "Now we are getting somewhere."  
  
"Don't take it the wrong way. I just wanted to answer so you would shut up." He said  
  
"Oh, Hiei." She said and went off in front of him.  
  
He rushed up to her and pulled her back hard. "What was that for?" she exclaimed in anger. Then she saw the land before her fall into oblivion. "Whoa, it just keeps going doesn't it?" she looked down in to the huge whole. "I guess we are not going that way." She paused and turned to Hiei. "Thanks."  
  
"Hn. Baka." He breathed.  
  
"What was that?" no answer came.

* * *

I think a blizzard is coming up, I don't know. Umm. What do you think? I would get to the lovey dovey stuff but it will be more... it will just be better to build it up huh? Will Kuwabara find a way out or will someone else, even so. Hiei still needs to face up to his challenger. Who could it be? 


	5. Trap, trap, not a trap, more traps

****

Trap, trap, not a trap, more traps

"Hiei?" Botan asked  
  
"What!" he yelled, "what now?"  
  
"Sorry I just thought you might want to know that..."  
  
"There is a blizzard on its way." He finished for her.  
  
"Don't do..."  
  
"That." he finished for her again. He laughed at her annoyance  
  
"You know, Hiei, couples often finish each other's sentences." She joked. That was it, because he stopped.  
  
"Look!" Botan pointed at a hollowed out tree. "Shelter." She said.  
  
"Hn. What for?"  
  
"Let's see, there is a blizzard, I'm cold, and it's nearly midnight." Botan said. "Can you build the fire?" she asked as they walked into the tree.  
  
"Hn." He snapped his fingers and a small fire appeared on the floor.  
  
"Cool." She said. "Let's eat." She dumped out a bag of food.  
  
Hiei's eyes widened. _'She's thought of everything. Maybe she wasn't so bad to be around. What? She just does not fit in with me. She dose not understand. She is not like me in any way.'  
_  
After they ate. Botan found a warm spot near the fire to sleep. Hiei sat up to keep watch. How could see sleep? She was too simple. Did she think that this would be some easy trip? His thoughts were interrupted when Botan shivered in the cold. What he did next shocked him to his very core. He took off his cloak and placed it lightly over her.

**Dungeon**

Kayko and Yukina stayed up late as the guys slept, All but Kurama who was lost in thought.  
  
"Hey, Yukina?" she broke the silence. "What are you doing?' she asked,  
  
"If I freeze the bars of this cell long enough, we should be able to get out." She answered.  
  
"That might work," Kurama interrupted, "but once we are out where will we go?" he asked, "The place is cloaked with a force field. If we are lucky enough to get out we could not get away." She said.  
  
"You're right." Yukina said. "My brother saved me once. Now I need to save him," she said and began to cry in Kayko's arms.  
  
"It will be okay. We will get out of this." Kayko said  
  
"In here." Came a voice. Hiei was sitting in the dark with his katana in hand.  
  
"I knew they would go into the tree." Said the other voice.  
  
'I knew this was a trap.' Hiei thought. As the men entered Botan jumped up.  
  
Hiei swiftly killed the men that wanted to intrude. Botan said back down. "Okay, that was fun."  
  
"What did you think? That this would be a vacation? This is no time for your stupid games." He said.  
  
"Okay, that's it." Botan yelled.

* * *

Oh no, what now. Next chapter. Chapter 6 Trap, trap, not a trap, more traps part 2 


	6. Trap, trap, not a trap, more traps pt 2

**Trap, trap, not a trap, more traps part Two**

"Okay that's it." Botan screamed, "I'm going to fine then on my own. I can't work with you." she said and walked out, without the cloak or bag of food. Hiei did not try to stop her. Perhaps he did go too far. He had no time to worry about her it would be faster to walk alone. But Hiei did, in the pits of his being feel bad and followed Botan anyway. (Without her knowledge of course.)  
  
"Stupid Hiei. Would it hurt time to try and get along with me? What is his problem?" Botan spoke out loud to herself. She was so flustered that she failed to see a rather large hole in the ground. She almost fell. "What? I'm back here again?" Botan said and began to cry as she remembered Hiei had saved her life in this spot. Ironic how she almost fell in the very hole Hiei had saved her from in the first place. "Great, I miss Hiei, and I'm lost." She said  
  
_'She misses me?'_ he was puzzled as he watched her fall in to the snow. _'She is crying again?'_ he thought, 'weakling.'  
  
(This could get a bit confusing.)  
  
"Stop crying onna." F-Hiei (fake Hiei) said  
  
_'What?'_ R-Hiei (real Hiei) exclaimed  
  
"Oh. I never thought I would say this but I'm glad you are here." Botan said to the F-Hiei.  
  
"Come with me." F-Hiei said and Botan followed. F-Hiei picked her up off the snow and she hugged him. F-Hiei pulled out his Katana ash he threw her to the snow again. His blade was inches from her nose. And it trailed down her throat making her wince with fear.  
  
"Hiei? What's gotten into you?" Botan asked.  
  
"I hate you and now I will kill you, it's as simple as that." Those words hit her hard, she knew that Hiei hated her but hearing him say it made her cry.  
  
R-Hiei saw the whole thing _'is she crying for me?'_ (All this is happening so fast. So it's not like Hiei is waiting to she her die. KK?) Just then he say F-Hiei cut Botan on her arm because she rolled to dodge the attack.  
  
"I suggest you let her go." R-Hiei was at the throat of F-Hiei. "Too late. F-Hiei fell onto the ground dead.  
  
"What just happened?" Botan sat up. Hiei looked at her. His eyes seemed to say _'It was another trap.'_ "Thanks again Hiei." She said, "Why did you follow me?" no answer came. "Still playing this game are we?" she asked and looked away from him. Then she heard the sound of cloth ripping and felt the icy sting of a wet piece of fabric. (Wet with melted snow). "Ow." She turned and looked at her arm.  
  
"Stay still. This cut is never going to heal if you keep moving." Hiei said in his usual tone. When he was finished wiping the blood off he ripped another piece of his shirt and tied it around her arm.  
  
"Thank you Hiei." She shivered then she felt the warmth of a curtain black cloak cover her. "Thanks." Hiei looked at her. "So I guess this is a good start huh?" she said  
  
"Hn. If you insist." He said, his way of saying yes. Botan tried to stand but she fell back down into the snow. "What is it now?"  
  
"I think I twisted my ankle when the other Hiei threw me." She said, "I'll be fine." She tried to stand and made it. She winced with pain. "Yep. I'm just peachy." She said as tears of pain filled her eyes. Hiei rolled his eyes and picked her up (bridal style) and he walked back to the tree. She had fallen asleep in his arms.  
  
"Hiei." Botan said. She woke as he put her down. "I guess I see the reason you don't want to work with me." Hiei turned. "I'm so weak. I'm sorry. You can go on and help the others without me." She said.  
  
"Hn. You are not that bad." He said "and I don't hate you." he said out of nowhere.  
  
"What?" she said  
  
"I saw you crying when the other Hiei told you that he hated you," he said.  
  
"You don't?" she asked. He shook his head no. "so can we be friends?"  
  
"I guess." He said  
  
"Are you ready to tell me what you know?" Botan pressed.  
  
No answer came.

* * *

**Star:** I would write more but my brother is making me get off. Door bell rings I'll get it. Opens door "hello?"  
  
**Hiei:** I don't like where this story is going. Pulls out Katana  
  
**Star:** heh heh I gotz to go. 


	7. Family Trauma

**Hiei:** I hate this story.  
  
**Star:** so. I never asked for you opinion.  
  
**Hiei:** I will have my revenge on you.  
  
**Star:** I have to find a way to stop him. Bribery

Family trauma

"Are you ready to tell me what you know?" Botan pressed  
  
No answer came. Hiei only looked away.  
  
"Please tell me. I know you might feel better of you got it off your chest." Botan said. "I won't tell anyone. I just want to understand you better, and plus how can I..." Hiei cut her off  
  
"Alright, if it will get you to be quiet." He said and turned to face her with a serious yet sad face. Botan just looked at him with hidden sympathy.  
  
"Yukina and I were born from the same mother, meaning we are related, as you know. In the ice world this is forbidden because it is bad luck. And it did not help that I was half fire demon. Well my mother was forced to give me up."  
  
"Hiei." Botan said sadly.  
  
"She did and I was raised by thieves." he paused for a moment for he did not know if he should add the next part because he could see the tears in Botan's eyes. "Once ten years ago. My father came looking for me. He tried to kill me because I had dishonored the family by being born. The one that has kidnapped our friends (yes he said friends) and the man that we are searching for right now is my father."  
  
Botan was taken aback trying to hide her tears from Hiei. "I'm so sorry."  
  
"Don't be, I'm not." Hiei said obviously hiding something. "So what's your story?" he asked  
  
"What do you mean?" Botan looked at him,  
  
"You aren't your normal annoying self." He said.  
  
"I—nothing." She said as he looked at her. "Okay, I miss Kurama." Hiei had a feeling of betrayal pass over him when she said it. "I miss him because he is like a brother to me. I've never had a family. I grew up alone." She said, and Hiei took in a breath after hearing the brother thing, although he did not know why "I guess you and me are more alike than we think, huh?" she said.  
  
He shifted, "I think you should get some sleep, we have wasted a day." He said reverting back to his hard, cold self.

**Castle**

"Let us the hell out of here." Kuwabara yelled as the dark man walked by.  
  
"Let me think...No." he said. "And don't think that for a second that you can break free of this cell. It is nearly impossible to get out." He said  
  
"Nearly, huh, whatsa matter too weak for a real prison?" Yusuke teased.  
  
"After I kill Hiei, I think I will kill you first." He said.  
  
"No you can't kill Hiei," Yukina said. "Take me instead of him. Please don't kill my brother." She started to cry.

* * *

Hiei heard a loud crash from outside. Was it another trap? "Botan, get up baka." He shook her.  
  
"Huh? What?" Botan asked sleepily. "What baka?" she jumped up yelling but Hiei covered her mouth.  
  
"Shut up. They might hear you," he said and Botan nodded and he let go. "We're surrounded." He said

* * *

**Hiei:** I would not hide in a tree like a scared little kid.  
  
**Star:** well maybe if you knew what it was that was out there and how many you would. _Goes to freezer  
_  
**Hiei:** what are you doing? _Sees star throws out ice cream_  
  
**Star: **I'm going cold turkey on ice cream so I have to give it all away. _Look's around_ I wonder who wants all this ice cream?  
  
**Hiei:** That wont work.  
  
**Star:** What won't? Maybe Kurama. I'll call him. _Hiei takes the ice cream.  
_  
**Hiei:** Hn. _Takes a big bit of the ice cream. And sees star edge toward him._  
  
**Star:** must have ice cream. _Hiei runs off_


	8. That’s aMAZEing

**Star:** I need candy and ice cream. _Rocks back and forth _no candy and no ice cream makes star go crazy. _Kurama, Yusuke and Kuwabara walk in the door._  
  
**Kurama:** Star, are you okay?  
  
**Hiei:** No, she can't have candy or ice cream. _All back away_  
  
**Yusuke:** sucks to be you.  
  
**Kuwabara:** on with the story.

**That's a-MAZE-ing**

"Can't you just... you know kill them all?" Botan asked not knowing what to say.  
  
"I can but it would take time we don't have." Hiei looked out from the tree. He saw thousands of icy humans. (Like cultivated humans only they are made of ice.)  
  
"That's just great." Botan fell against a wall and a door opened. "That's convenient." She said, "um, Hiei."  
  
"What?" he turned to see the door. "Where did that come form? You're great!" he exclaimed and walked into an underground cave, which was where the door led.  
  
Botan stayed in the tree for a moment. "Did Hiei just say that I was great?"  
  
"Botan, damn it onna." Hiei's voice rang  
  
"Eheh, I'm coming." Botan ran after him

* * *

"Master." Came a female voice. "She came into the light.  
  
"Mother?" Yukina whispered.  
  
"What it is slave?" The dark man said,  
  
"They have escaped the Icy humans." The woman with baby blew hair and blue eyes. Who looked like Yukina only older, said,  
  
"Oh, they won't get too far in the maze of the doomed." He smirked evilly and left the dungeon with her.  
  
"Did you just call her your mother?" Kurama asked Yukina  
  
"Yes, but I thought she was dead. She died of heartbreak when father ran out on her. I never met him but she said that he was a fire demon." Yukina exclaimed. "That's not much to go on... but it did help me figure out who my brother was." Yukina remembered the day she caught Hiei off guard by asking him if he was her brother.  
  
"I see, so if she is dead how can she be here?" Kurama said  
  
"Weird." Kuwabara jumped in  
  
"Is it?" Yusuke said, "after all we've been through. Nothing is weird, this is normal." Then it hit him. "I knew they were on their way."  
  
"Wait a minute. What maze of the doomed. That doesn't sound like a picnic in the park. "Kuwabara said. "Are Hiei and Botan really working together?" he asked when that hit him too. He was a little slow on the uptake.  
  
"They are going to have to if they wish to make it out of the maze alive." The dark man returned.

* * *

Botan and Hiei reached an opening it had taken two days to find it. When they hopped out of the hole they saw before them a huge maze.  
  
"We only have three more days left. How will we get through the maze? And without your Jagan eye to help us?" Botan asked.  
  
_'Good question'_ Hiei thought "Hn. Lets just get this over with." He said and they walked in

* * *

**Star:** okay I don't need candy. _Yusuke was pointing his finger at her._ Yeah, I don't need it.  
  
**Yusuke:** good. _Turns away from star Star sticks her tongue out at him and pulls out a jawbreaker._ And by the way, I know we could get out of that cell.  
  
**Star:** Yeah you're right but this is my story and in my story you can't. _Just about to put jawbreaker in mouth but Hiei quickly takes it and she bites the air._ Hey! Where is my jawbreaker?  
  
**Hiei:** _holds it up for her to see. And throws it out the window._ (Five stories up.)  
  
**Star:** no! _Jumps after it but Kurama pulls her back._  
  
**Kurama:** heh heh. Star has to go now. Say good-bye star.  
  
**Star:** good-bye star 


	9. The Beautiful Let Down

**Star:** I love you guys. _Hugs all of them  
_  
**Hiei:** are you okay?  
  
**Star:** just fine, _see lets them go and a smiles  
_  
**Yusuke:** what are you on and why aren't you sharing?  
  
**Star:** Nothing. _Puts hands behind her back _I have no idea what you are talking about.  
  
**Kurama:** looks like an ice cream bar to me? _Takes it from her hands_. Here eat this _hands her a carrot.  
_  
**Star:** takes it and eats it with distain.  
  
**Kuwabara:** why can't you have candy? You're not fat. _Looks her up and down_  
  
**Star:** ...  
  
**Kurama:** okay, on with the story then...

**The Beautiful Let Down**

As Hiei and Botan entered the first part of the maze they began to see trees of autumn colors. The ice world looked as if it were set ablaze with color. This had to be a trap. There were no such trees in the ice world that Hiei could remember.  
  
"Hiei, this is so nice." Botan said since she was blinded by the colors. "I've only seen colors like these in the Ningenkai during fall.  
  
"Lets just go, we are wasting time." He continued to walk but stopped when he heard a beautiful voice.  
  
"Hiei, what's..." Botan almost ran into him.

* * *

"Ha, now they are on the first stage of the maze. Atari has never failed to catch her prey. The dark man told the others.  
  
Kurama backed from the cell bars, "Atari? The siren?"  
  
"What? Who is that, Kurama? Will my brother make it out?" Yukina asked.  
  
"She is a high class siren, she can lure even the most hateful of demons to her with her voice. I'm afraid that the odds are against Hiei in this one." Kurama said,  
  
"How does she lure demons in?" Kuwabara pressed,  
  
"By using the song to manipulate the way someone sees things. She takes the victim's most desired dream by and uses the image to reel them in so to speak."

* * *

Her voice was beautiful to Hiei's ears, but to Botan it had no affect. Hiei was walking closer to the Siren, lost in thoughts of family.  
  
"Hiei?" Botan asked, "What are you doing. It is so obvious that this is a trap." For what Botan saw was an ugly tree with sharp teeth (think about Yoko Kurama's death tree).  
  
"Come to me, Hiei. Your family is waiting for you." Atari sang.  
  
"I guess I'll have to save him." Botan stepped in front of him with her arms out stretched. Hiei could only see her as a nasty demon. He was coming closer. What would make him stop?_ 'I know!'_ Botan thought. "Don't kill me after this." she said and prepared herself.  
  
"What's this? A demon is in your way. Kill it." Atari sang. Hiei pulled out his Katana and slowly, trancelike. He walked over to Botan and was about to strike when he was interrupted. Botan had planted a small kiss on his soft lips, causing him to flinch back. Botan too was taken aback because she felt a spark of warmth when their lips linked.  
  
"What? How can this be?" Atari asked as Hiei found reality once more. "I used your most desired dream?"  
  
"Maybe you picked the wrong dream?" Hiei said and sliced the siren in two. Hiei sheathed his sword and walked on to the next part of the maze.  
  
_'What did he mean by the wrong dream?'_ Botan asked herself? "Hiei, wait up." Botan called and ran after him.

* * *

"Master. Atari has been killed." The blue haired woman returned.  
  
"This means that those two are working together. I did not plan on this." he said "no matter I have another way of pulling them apart." He snickered and left the room once again.  
  
"Hiei and Botan, working together?" Kuwabara was confused.  
  
"It seems this has helped us in our plans. Wouldn't you agree Yusuke?" Kurama smiled playfully.  
  
"Yes, I guess you are right. I'm good. "He said as if he planed the whole thing, which he did not, "I guess this kidnapping thing did help us in the long run. The girls nodded since they knew of the plan.  
  
"Hey, guys what plan? What's going on?" Kuwabara asked

* * *

**Star:** Kurama?  
  
**Kurama:** hmm?  
  
**Star:** I love you. _Hugs him_  
  
**Kurama:** O.o Why?  
  
**Star:** Cuz you are nice and you are my very best friend.  
  
**Hiei:** maybe we should give her the candy.  
  
**Star:** oh, Hiei I love you too. _Hugs him tighter_  
  
**Hiei:** let go baka onna.  
  
**Star:** _lets go_  
  
**Hiei:** X-X  
  
**Kuwabara:** you never answered my question. 


	10. I’ll stand by you

**Hiei:** what are you doing now?  
  
**Star:** I just found a great song for my story.  
  
**Kurama:** what is it?  
  
**Star:** It's called I'll **stand by you.**  
  
**Kuwabara:** aw how cute. _Hiei glares evilly at Kuwabara_  
  
**Star:** It's not my song it belongs to....  
  
**Kuwabara:** the pretenders.  
  
**Star:** that's right!  
  
**Yusuke:** that's dandy... can we get on with the story?  
  
**Star:** U-U  
  
**Kurama:** what is it?  
  
**Star:** Dandy rhymes with candy.

**I'll stand by you (duh)**

Botan and Hiei had been walking for hours and they had faced many small traps that were easy and yet a pain to get through. They were exhausted and the day was nearly over.  
  
"Hiei?" Botan asked "are you tired?" She asked  
  
"No." he lied.  
  
"Oh." she said, "umm, I know this might be a bad time considering how little time we have, but can we find a place to stay for the night?"  
  
"Hn. Fine" he said and they found a clearing in the maze that looked safe enough. It was an open thicket near a cotton candy pink lake and blue ice bushes. Astonishingly it was warm and cozy.  
  
Botan sat down and Hiei followed, Botan yawned and fell asleep on his shoulder, without realizing it. Hiei was too tired to move her so he placed his head on top of hers and fell into a deep sleep.  
  
**Hiei's Dream**  
  
"Hiei?" came a voice.  
  
"Who's there?" he asked as he was pulled from his body.  
  
"You see her?" the voice asked, "She is not your friend. She will kill you if you give her the chance to."  
  
"Hn. I don't believe you" he said and turned away from Botan's sleeping body.  
  
"You told her your secret, she will betray you. She will leave you. Just like your family left you. Just like everyone else." The voice said.  
  
"No."  
  
"Think about it. When was the last time you trusted anyone?"  
  
"Machiko (reusing a name from my other fic. But she is a different person. KK)." Hiei whispered  
  
"And what did she do to you?" the voice said, "She left you to die and ran off with some other dude." The voice said. "The sun is rising, wake up."  
  
**Das Ende. Of the dream**  
  
Hiei woke up with a start. What the dream was telling him was true, or so he thought. Hiei picked up the sleeping Botan and tied her to a yellow tree.  
  
"Hiei? Wha?" Botan tried to break free.  
  
"I will don't know." He said and fell to his knees with his head in his hands.  
  
"I can help you with that?" the voice was back only it was behind him, coming from a blue haired yellow skinned Demon. "You need to kill her and then no one will be here to betray you," he said  
  
"Hiei." Botan looked at him with pleading eyes. She realized that she loved him in more ways than one. "It's not true." Tears were falling as she began to sing. She saw tears of agony in his eyes.  
  
_Tada the song (hope this come out right)_  
  
**Oh, why you look so sad? **

**Tears are in your eyes **

**Come on and come to me now. **

**Don't be ashamed to cry, **

**Let me see you through **

**Cause I've seen the dark side too. **

**When the night falls on you, **

**You don't know what to do, **

**Nothing you confess **

**Could make me love you less  
  
I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you, Won't let nobody hurt you, I'll stand by you.  
  
So, if you're mad get mad, **

**don't hold it all inside, **

**Come on and talk to me now. **

**And hey, what you got to hide? **

**I get angry too well I'm a lot like you. **

**When you're standing at the crossroads, **

**Don't know which path to choose, **

**Let me come along, **

**Cause even if you're wrong  
  
I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you, Won't let nobody hurt you, I'll stand by you. Take me into your darkest hour, and I'll never desert you. I'll stand by you.  
  
And when, when the night falls on you baby, **

**you're feeling all alone, **

**you won't be on your own, and I'll stand by you. I'll stand by you I'll stand by you, won't let nobody hurt you. I'll stand by you Take me in into your darkest hour and I'll never desert you I'll stand by you.**  
  
_End song_  
  
"Hiei." Botan said, "Please don't."  
  
"Botan." He acted as if he was going to kill Botan but instead he cut her free. "As for you." he turned to the dream demon.  
  
"You can kill me. But it will be in vane. The last to trials of this maze will be harder to stop." He said before he was dead.  
  
"Hiei." Botan said, "I'm sorry if you thought that I would betray you. I would never because you are my friend and don't think that for a second I would..."She was cut off by his gaze, "what is it?" she asked  
  
"Hn. Nothing." He said as he came closer and closer to her. He longed to kiss her just once. To see what this "love" thing was all about. He had felt it once but she ran out on him like all the others. Maybe Botan was different. He stopped just before his lips met hers. "Let's keep going we have two days left. And they walked on.

* * *

**Hiei:** What? How can you end it there?  
  
**Kuwabara:** ooh, do you wanna see what happens next? Do you like Botan for real or something?  
  
**Hiei:** _blushes_ Hn. No  
  
**Star:** that's too bad. _Walks to a screen. Like on a game show_ tell him what he could have won, Kurama.  
  
**Kurama:** sorry Hiei, she made me. _Pulls the screen back_ it's Botan.  
  
**Star:** _glares evilly_ say it.  
  
**Kurama** _Sighs _Tada! _Does a little dance._ This is so degrading.  
  
**Everyone:** Hahaha.  
  
**Star:** I never thought you would actually do it. Hahaha.  
  
**Kurama:** Kuwabara would you do the honors? _Runs after star_  
  
**Kuwabara:** That's all folks.


	11. Divide and not conquer part 1

**Kurama:** what do you say? _Catches Star_  
  
**Star:** _head looking toward the ground _I'm sorry Kurama.  
  
**Kurama:** And?  
  
**Star:** and... _smiles _do I have to?  
  
**Kurama:** -.-'

**Star:** Okay. _Dances too_ weee! Hey this is a fun punishment? _Dances everywhere  
_  
**Hiei:** Not what you planed on huh?  
  
**Kurama:** be quiet _sits down disappointedly  
_  
**Yusuke**: riiight. Oh will the fic.

**Divide and not conquer part 1**

the rest of the journey was silent, save for a few thoughts.  
  
_'Did I try to kiss her?'_ Hiei thought. _'Why? What's come over me?'_  
  
_'Did Hiei try to kiss me? Why did he stop?'_ Botan thought and stepped back _'what? Does this mean I want him to kiss me?'  
_  
"Botan?" Hiei asked, "Why have you stopped?  
  
"Stopped what? I didn't do it?" she said with a start. _'Oh god, I just remembered that he could have read my thoughts.'_ Botan thought.  
  
"Are you okay?" he raised and eyebrow.  
  
"Oh, yes just fine. Let's keep going." She started to walk once more.

* * *

Meanwhile in the prison at the end of the maze the others were sleeping, all thoughts of the prison had eluded them. Kurama woke to the sound of Yukina's tears.  
  
"Yukina?" Kurama asked, "Your brother will be fine." He said,  
  
"I know but I just wish I could be there for him. He's always been there for me. Even when I did not know he was there. I always felt safe, and now I know that it was Hiei this whole time. I just feel so useless."  
  
"Don't say that. You are not useless. And he is just happy that you are alive. Stop crying and cheer up. We will all be back home and this whole thing will be over." Kurama said, not believing it himself, he only said it to cheer Yukina up.  
  
"Aw, cute little lie, Kurama." The dark voice said, "Too bad that, that is exactly what it is... a lie." The man said and pulled out keys. By this time everyone else was awake. "Come now Yukina." He order and grabbed for her.  
  
"Oh, no you don't." Kuwabara stepped in front of her.  
  
"I though putting you all together was a mistake." The dark man said and punched Kuwabara into the wall. Then a wall of fire separated the rest of the group from the ice apparition and she was taken off somewhere.

* * *

Just then as they turned into an alleyway, they fell into a pool of sticky black goop. They were stuck together literally.  
  
"Oh great." Hiei said _'stuck will the ferry onna in a pond of sticky crap.'_ He thought trying to get her off his mind by being rude. "Why didn't you tell me this was here?" he said  
  
"What? This is not my fault." Botan said.  
  
"You should just except the fact that the ferry woman and that son... Hiei are going to kill each other. Of they have fallen into the black lagoon." The dark man said as he returned Yukina-less.  
  
"What is that? Kurama?" Yusuke looked at him  
  
"Why does everyone think I know everything?" he asked,  
  
"Well do you know what it is?" Kuwabara asked  
  
Kurama let out a sigh. "Yes." He said, "it is a substance that gets in the skin and makes the victim angry and evil. This trap is indeed a good one." Kurama said,  
  
"Wait so if Hiei and Botan get touched by that stuff they will be at each other's throats? Will they kill each other?" Kuwabara said.  
  
"Yes they very well might." Kurama said. "Lets us hope that does not happen."  
  
"This is your fault not mine." Botan said.  
  
"I will kill you." Hiei said  
  
"Oh yeah, go ahead." Botan said  
  
just as everyone was about to lose hope a clouded dust of glitter formed in front of Botan and Hiei.

* * *

**Kuwabara:** what is it? I hate when you stop in the middle like that.  
  
**Botan:** yeah, what happens to Hiei and me?  
  
**Hiei:** who cares? I hate this story. Black goop?  
  
**Star:** gee just wait and find out. Good....  
  
**Yusuke:** can I say it?  
  
**Star:** go ahead.  
  
**Yusuke:** Good-bye everyone. _Smiles proudly_  
  
**Kurama:** I bet you feel special.  
  
**Yusuke:** . 


	12. Divide and not conquer part 2

**Star:** Well everyone went to my kitchen to eat so... _Pulls out a Snickers bar_ why wait.  
  
**Hiei:** Hn.  
  
**Star:** _about to take a bite_ what is it Hiei?  
  
**Hiei:** why is Botan here?  
  
**Star:** cuz you like her.  
  
**Hiei:** I know... I mean...  
  
**Star:** ooh so you do really like her. So what's the problem?  
  
**Hiei:** don't you tell anyone or I will kill you.  
  
**Star:** isn't it a bit too early for you to make threats?  
  
**Hiei:** Hn.  
  
_Kurama and the others walk in with food._  
  
**Kurama:** I knew you would try and eat that.  
  
**Star:** _snickers explodes and confetti comes out_ Damn!  
  
**Kuwabara:** hey watch your mouth.  
  
**Star:** Shut up.  
  
**Yusuke:** On with the show.

**Divide and not conquer part 2**

A fairy popped out of thin air. She was tiny and had pink hair and purple eyes. "Do you wish to be separated?" she asked  
  
"Yes." Hiei and Botan said at the same time.  
  
"Okay." The fairy vanished  
  
**Botan**  
  
"Hey, Hiei..." she stopped and looked around only to find out that she was alone. "Hiei? Where are you?" she yelled. "That damn fairy." She breathed. "I never got to tell Hiei that I am sorry for blaming him." she sat on the cold ground and started to cry. This part of the maze was filled with icy blue trees and deathly cold wind. "I wish Hiei were here." She cried.  
  
**Hiei**  
  
"Where is that baka onna?" he asked himself. He knew it was not her fault and although he did not admit it he was sorry. Hiei just continued to walk. "When I find that fairy I'm going to kill It." he smirked "I did not mean laterally separated!" he yelled. Truth be told Hiei was having strange emotions toward Botan. And he vowed to tell her as soon as he found her, and he would find her.

* * *

"Damn! How do they keep escaping?" the dark man yelled.  
  
"I guess you didn't give them enough credit." Kurama said.  
  
"If you don't stop, then I will have to kill you just like that ice princess."  
  
"Ice princess? Kuwabara stepped back, "Yukina? You killed her?"  
  
"..." No words came and he left the room once more.  
  
"No." Kuwabara started to cry for the loss of his one true love. "I will kill that bastard." He said and with a burst of energy he let them know.  
  
"Whoa! Kuwabara. Who knew you had that much power." Yusuke said,  
  
"Shut up Urameshi." He yelled in a tone never heard by anyone. "You never lost your true love," he said  
  
"I almost did. What do you know?" Yusuke said remembering the painful ordeal at Maze castle. "Yukina is not dead."  
  
"He is right." Kurama said, "She is still here. Can't you feel it?" Kurama said  
  
"No.." Kuwabara paused, "yes now I can." He said.  
  
"Idiot." Yusuke said and sat by Kayko.  
  
"I heard that. You wanna start something with me Urameshi?"  
  
"Here we go again." Kurama said.

* * *

**Botan**  
  
Botan was growing tired as the nighttime sky fell upon her. "I have to keep going." She said to herself. "I wish I could use my oar, but this maze is protected. Just as she turned a corner she could see Hiei. "Hiei..." she started and stopped when she said him kissing Kayko. (Hiei and Kayko are not real of course... breath in...Breath out...better? Good.)  
  
_'How could he do this?'_ she asked herself. _'I thought... what did I think? Hiei hates me despite what he says.'_ She ran down the alley and right passed them.  
  
**Hiei**  
  
Hiei was worried about Botan because she usually got tired at this time of night. Not to mention it was cold. If she fell asleep she might not wake up. He had to find her. He ran down a similar alley and backed up when he saw Botan with Kurama. '_She said that they were like siblings. How could she do this to me?' _he asked himself. _'What did I expect I never told her how I felt. She is too good for me anyway.'_ he thought and quickly left the scene.  
  
Botan ran into something warm and familiar...Hiei. "Hiei?" Botan pushed away from him. And he did the same. "What happened to Kayko?"  
  
"Kayko? What about you and Kurama." He said darkly. "Hn."  
  
"What I saw you with her. And I haven't seen Kurama because he is..."  
  
"In the prison with the others." He finished. "I feel so stupid."  
  
"I was another trap." Botan said, "So this is weird."  
  
"Hn." She thought so too but kept his cool. He say Botan shiver and walked up to her. "Are you cold?"  
  
"No." she said.  
  
Hiei put his hands on her cheeks. "You are lying." He said. Botan was blushing at his touch.

* * *

**Star:** okay Hiei we are alone. _Looks around_ now you remember what to say right?  
  
**Hiei:** Hn. Yes.  
  
**Star:** good. _Opens a door_. Botan would you come her for a moment?  
  
**Botan:** sure Star what is it?  
  
_Star nods her head toward Hiei.  
  
_**Botan:** what is it Hiei?  
  
**Star:** I think we should leave these two alone. _Leaves the room and walks into the next room with the others. _Pass me some of that popcorn, Kurama, please.  
  
**Kurama:** where are Botan and Hiei? _Looks for them_  
  
**Star:** Oh they are around. _Sticks hand in popcorn bowl at the same time as Kurama. Her hand brushes his._ Uh.  
  
**Kurama:** - grabs _Star's hand._ That's all for now. 


	13. you are my final test

_Hiei and Botan enter the room hand in hand_  
  
**Kuwabara:** I knew it!  
  
**Kurama:** it's about time.  
  
**Star:** Kurama can I ask you something?  
  
**Kurama:** umm  
  
**Star:** look what's that? _Points and as everyone looks away she kisses Kurama  
_  
Kuwabara: wha? I don't see anything  
  
_they all turned to see a red Kurama and a smiling Star._  
  
**Yusuke:** what did you do to Kurama?  
  
**Star:** =Y.Y= nothing. On with the story.

**You are my final test**

Hiei put his hands on her cheeks, "you're lying." He said. Botan was blushing at his touch.  
  
"Okay, maybe I am a little cold." She gave in and she could feel warmth coming from his hands. "Hiei?"  
  
"Better?" he asked her and she nodded. "Good." He let his hands fall and was about to turn when Botan kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"Thank you Hiei, for everything. And I hope that we can always be friends, even after this." she said. Hiei stepped up to her and placed his hands on her hips and pulled her closer to him. "Hiei. What are you..." she was cut off when he placed a finger on her lips.  
  
"You talk too much." He said and traced her lips with his soft fingers. Botan shivered and closed her eyes. She opened them slowly and looked into his blazing red eyes. He pressed her against a huge tree and came closer. Botan could feel his breath on her lips as he moved in. His lips brushed hers lightly and he seemed to reconsider what he was about to do because he pulled away and let her go.  
  
"Hiei?" Botan wondered. "I'm sorry."  
  
"For what?" he asked  
  
"For letting you fall in love with me." She said  
  
"..." He said nothing. _'Love? What is love? I cannot have this emotion. When this mission is over I am leaving for a long vacation.'_ He told himself only hoping it would be true.  
  
"No words, I see." Hiei could see her heart break right in front of his ruby eyes. "Well we have less than a day left so let's get going." Botan said as she choked back her tears.

* * *

"Hey!" Yusuke yelled at the dark man. "What's wrong? Are my friends too much for you to handle?"  
  
"It does not matter. I will kill Hiei my self, as it should be. "He said  
  
the final test was coming up and Hiei and Botan would not be caught off guard again. But they could only imagine what it could be.

* * *

"What could this next test be?" Botan asked  
  
"Hn."  
  
A yellow fairy appeared near an icy door with old writings on it. "To open the door you mush trust in each other. Hand trusts hand" The fairy said and vanished  
  
"I trust you, Hiei." Botan said, "Do you trust me?"  
  
"Hn." He nodded  
  
"Okay but why wont the door open?" she asked. She walked up to the door and placed her hand on the handle.  
  
"Hand trusts hand." He said  
  
"What?" Botan asked. Hiei placed his hand over hers and the door opened. "We are almost there. Let's get the others." She walked in front of Hiei. He pulled her back  
  
"I want you to stay here." He ordered.  
  
"But why?" Botan said,  
  
"Just do it." he said, "promise me." He said  
  
"But... okay Hiei. I promise." Botan said. She wanted so much to prove that he could trust her.

* * *

**Kuwabara:** why does he want her to stay there?  
  
Kurama: maybe he wants to protect her.  
  
**Hiei:** ask Star. Where is that girl?  
  
_Kurama blushes_  
  
**Yusuke:** what's wrong with you now?  
  
**Kurama:** nothing. Good night everyone. 


	14. Broken promises

**Kuwabara:** Kuwabara here. Star and Kurama have gone off somewhere. So now I get to write the fic.  
  
**Yusuke:** how can you write a fic if you can even spell your own name?  
  
**Kuwabara:** I can too spell my own name...let's see its K...U...W...  
  
**Yusuke:** riiight. _Kuwabara is still spelling him name._  
  
**Star:** I'm back so on with the fic.  
  
**Hiei:** Hn. Where is Kurama?  
  
**Star:** why Hiei, what ever do you mean?  
  
**Hiei:** you know what I mean don't play dumb.  
  
**Star:** =w.w=

**Broken promises**

"Hiei?" Botan asked  
  
"what?"  
  
"You mind telling me why you want me to stay here?"  
  
"I just what you to, okay." Hiei did not want to give her the real answer.  
  
Botan shrugged and yawned. "Maybe we should rest until tomorrow."  
  
"Hn." He took a seat next to her and they fell asleep.  
  
It was still early when Hiei woke up. He left Botan to sleep so that he could leave her there. She would be safe from his father. She would not have to witness his death if it came to that. "If I let you come and you see me fall, I do not want to see your heart break again," he whispered out loud of in his mind he was not sure. Hiei walked through the door and to the castle to face his destiny.

* * *

"Well he made it through the maze. I guess I will have to kill him my self." Said the dark man.  
  
"Hiei is no pushover." Kuwabara said surprised that he had something nice to say about Hiei. The others looked at him.  
  
"What? I guess the little shrimp is not so bad." Kuwabara said,  
  
"Yes well it's too bad you won't get to see how wrong you are." The dark man said. "You will be down here the whole time. But I promise that when he falls I will tell you every detail before I kill you." he laughed and left to his ring on the roof.

* * *

At about the same time Hiei entered the castle Botan was waking up. She was not too surprised that Hiei had left her. She wanted so much to follow him and see him though what ever it was he had to do. But she had made him a promise and it was very important to him so all she could do was sit on the outside of the maze and wait for him.  
  
"Oh, Hiei I wish you could have just told me what is going on with you." Botan said to herself. Just the Botan remembered that she had her communication mirror. She opened it hoping to find Yusuke on the receiving end.  
  
"Yusuke?" Botan asked  
  
"Botan? Are you okay? Where is Hiei?" Yusuke asked,  
  
"Oh thank god." Botan said upon hearing his voice. "He went on ahead. He made me promise to wait for him to come back."  
  
"Botan, you have to break that promise and get us out of here." Yusuke said. "He has taken Yukina. It's a trap. You need to find Hiei and stop him."  
  
"Oh, god!" Botan said and summoned her oar. "I'm coming. I'll call you back for your location." She hung up.

* * *

"What are you going to do to me?" Yukina yelled as the dark man pulled her hair so she would come out of her cell.  
  
"I won't do anything to you if you do as you are told."  
  
"What are you going to do to my brother?" she asked.  
  
"Hina" The man called.  
  
"Mother?" Yukina exclaimed.  
  
"That's only half right for you see Hina was your mother but I captured a soul from the Reikai and gave it your mother's body." He said "and as for Hiei...you'll see."  
  
"What? You sick bastard." Yukina said. And was slapped.  
  
"Hiei should be here any moment." He said  
  
Hiei made his way though the dark castle and it looked vaguely familiar to him. Hiei need to find his way to his "father" so he used his eye. "On the roof." He said and ran up millions of stairs.

* * *

Botan flew to the castle gates and called Yusuke once more. "Where are you guys?"  
  
"We are in a dungeon. Where are you?" Yusuke asked,  
  
"Right out front." She said. She looked at the castle. "How will I find you in time to save Hiei?"  
  
"Like this." Yusuke said and shot his Spirit gun out the tiny window. "See it?"  
  
"Yes, I'm coming." She said and hung up. 'Hiei I'm sorry I broke that one promise you made me keep but I did it for you.' she thought and flew off to save her friends.  
  
Botan walked to the window. "Yusuke. Psst."  
  
"Botan?" Kurama asked. "My sister."  
  
"Kurama!" She exclaimed. "There is so much I want to tell you," she said,  
  
"Uh, Botan now is not the time." Yusuke said.  
  
"Right. I will go around the other side and let you out." She said and ran off  
  
"That would be nice." Yusuke said sarcastically and turned to Kayko. "Kayko wake up."  
  
"Huh? What is it Yusuke?"  
  
"Botan is here and she is going to get us out." He told her.  
  
"Oh good, where is..." Kayko started but stopped when she heard the turning of keys. "Botan?"  
  
"Bingo!" Botan opened the door and the first thing she did was hug Kurama.  
  
"That was fast." Kayko blinked in disbelief  
  
"I have to save Yukina!" Kuwabara ran to the stairs.  
  
"Wait! We have to save Hiei too." Botan said,  
  
"So it's settled we are all going to save them." Yusuke said and they all ran up the stairs hoping they were not too late.  
  
_Rewinding a little before Botan ran into the castle_  
  
Hiei walked up the last flight of stairs and say his "father" waiting in the center of a huge ring. As he stepped a lightning bolt revealed a scared yet strong Yukina. She was crying.  
  
"Hiei! Don't it's a trap." Yukina said  
  
"Shut up," the dark man said and hit her across her face leaving a gash. Hiei was so angry by now.  
  
"Let her go. And I promise you a quick death. "Hiei drew his Katana.  
  
"Oh, it's a fight you want is it?" his father asked and drew his own katana. "But before you die I want you to see something. Funny thing promises are, even the smallest ones should be respected, wouldn't you agree?"  
  
"What are you talking about? You are just postponing your own death." Hiei spat.  
  
"Am I?" he asked and Hina pulled out a huge mirror and Hiei saw Botan. She was in the castle. "She turned against you. Did she not "Promise" you that she would not enter?" he said the word promise with distain.  
  
Hiei stepped back, she did. Botan wasn't different, she had lied to him. He was sad and angry now. "Hn," He shrugged it off. "All you did was make me angrier. I'm going to kill you now." He said,  
  
"Be prudent Hiei." He stopped once more as his father's words came to him. "If you join me, you will never have to feel love again. No one will ever hurt you. I will get rid of all your weaknesses." His father looked at Yukina. "Your sister has agreed to join me. So what do you say?"  
  
"Yukina?" Hiei asked her.  
  
"He's lying!" she yelled and Hiei's father kicked her hard sending her flying. Hiei ran fast and caught her,  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked her.  
  
"Yes. Just don't listen to what he says. Just follow your heart." She fell asleep in his arms.  
  
Hiei put her down and walked back into the ring. "No more lies. You die now." And the fight began.

* * *

**Kuwabara:** how could that man hit Yukina? She is a girl and not to mention she's my girlfriend.  
  
**Hiei:** she is not your girlfriend.  
  
**Kuwabara:** yes she is.  
  
_Hiei and Kuwabara start to fight._  
  
**Star:** well this chapter was a little longer but you know, that's a good thing for you huh? _Kuwabara bumps star_ v.v if you have to fight then take it outside. _Star joins the fight.  
_  
**Yusuke:** That's all peoples _jumps into fight as well_  
  
_Kurama comes back to see the fight and shakes his head_  
  
**Star:** join us Kurama.  
  
**Kurama:** ah, I'll pass. 


	15. I did it for you

**All but Kurama:** we are sorry for starting that fight.  
  
**Star:** good boys. _(Gives them ice cream)_  
  
**Kurama:** okay. Star?  
  
**Star:** huh?  
  
**Kurama:** why did you kiss me?  
  
**Star:** _(blushes as everyone looks at them)_  
  
**Kurama:** Star? _(Waves hand in front of her face)  
_  
**Star:** On with the fic._ (Ignores Kurama)_

**I did it for you**

Hiei and his father were fighting in the rain and lightening. Hiei's father was way faster than Hiei, when it came to the darkness techniques. Hiei would not give up. He sliced at his father and his father did the same.  
  
"You know what the difference between you and me is?" Hiei's father asked  
  
"Hn."  
  
"I'm full fire demon. You were a mistake. Your mother was a whore and that's why you should have been killed at birth. But no your mother wanted you to live." He hit Hiei's soft spot and he pulled back.  
  
"Dragon" he powered up, "Of," he was not going to let his father live, "the darkness flame." Hiei was covered in black and purplish flames as the dragon rose form the depths of spirit world. Lightning struck once more. The flame hit Hiei's father dead on but when the smoke cleared Hiei could see his father absorbing his dragon.  
  
"My son." He said it with disgust. "You really think you can stop me with that? I invented that." he said and ran at Hiei. "Be careful because once you are hit with his sword it will consume your soul and you will be lost forever." Hiei dodged it.  
  
_'How do I beat him if my strongest attack won't work?'_ Hiei asked himself. And it was then that he knew that he would die. Not just die, he wouldn't even be a spirit, he would be nothing.  
  
"You were born alone. You lived alone, and you will die alone." Hiei's father tripped Hiei with his demonic speed and had the sword above his head ready to strike.  
  
"Your wrong!" Botan yelled as she and the others reached the roof. "Hiei is not alone. He has us." She said,  
  
"That's right. We are a team. If you want to kill him then you will have to get through us." Kuwabara said. "Don't worry shrimp we will save you."  
  
"Hn. I do not need to be saved." He looked at Botan with dark cold eyes. Botan looked away from his disappointed eyes because they hurt more than a dagger in the back.  
  
"How touching but I'm afraid you are all too late." He brought the sword down, but it did not hit Hiei. "What?"  
  
"Botan!" Kurama, Yusuke and Kuwabara yelled.  
  
Botan used her oar to slip between Hiei and His father. "Hiei. I'm sorry I lied to you." she said and fell to the ground, her hair following after her. Hiei went up next to her and pulled the hair from her face. "Why?' "I did it for you." she said and fell cold as her soul was sucked into the Hiei's father's sword.  
  
"Now you truly have no one." He said. "What did you see in that stupid whore anyway?"  
  
"The beauty that I never had inside me. The person I could have been if not for you." Hiei said in terrible pain and anguish. 'We need to work together' Hiei said for the first time. Hiei powered up once more.  
  
"Ha, I told you that dragon of yours would not work on me." He laughed but the last thing he heard was:  
  
Shotgun, Rose whiplash, Spirit sword, and lastly Dragon of the darkness flame, at the same time. All that was left of Hiei's father was the sword that held Botan's soul.  
  
Hiei fell to Botan's side and lifted her up, along with the sword. Kuwabara helped Yukina up and they all went back to Koenma.

* * *

**Kuwabara:** is that the end?  
  
**Star:** now what kind of writer would I be if I let Botan's soul wander?  
  
**Hiei:** Adead one _(he held Botan's hand)_  
  
**Star:** heh heh. Worry not readers, the next chappy is the search for Botan's soul part one  
  
**Kurama:** _(walks off into the hall and star follows)_  
  
**Star:** Kurama? The reason I kissed you is because I like you.  
  
**Kurama:** You do? I like you too.  
  
**Star and Kurama share a kiss.** That's all for now peoples 


	16. Where there's a will there's a way

**Star:** hey all I don't want to end my story about Hiei and Botan but I have to so...  
  
**Hiei:**_ (pulls out katana and is at Star's throat.)_ so she is going to write another one.  
  
**Kurama:** Hiei how can she if you kill her.  
  
**Star:** yeah, and I will only write another one if that is what the readers want.  
  
**Yusuke:** and with that said... on with the...  
  
**Kuwabara:** oh, I want to say it. _(Jumps up and down)_  
  
**Yusuke:** okay  
  
**Kuwabara:** on with the...uh... what was it again?  
  
**Hiei:** baka. The story. On with the story.

* * *

**PART 1 The Search for Botan's soul**  
  
_**Where there's a will there's a way**_

* * *

Hiei and Kurama were waiting for the diagnosis from Koenma. Yusuke, had to take Kayko home and Kuwabara was taking care of Yukina.  
  
Koenma came through the doors of his office. "I'm sorry."  
  
Hiei shot up and was at Koenma's throat. "There has to be something we can do!" he yelled,  
  
"Hiei let the prince go." Kurama said,  
  
"I was supposed to die. Not her." Hiei yelled, _'not my angel'_ he thought.  
  
"Hiei." Koenma said solemnly as Hiei put him down. "There is one way. I was not going to tell you about it because it has never been tested."  
  
"Well what is it?" Hiei asked  
  
"Bring Yusuke and Kuwabara and only them. I don't need the girls involved in this." He said and Hiei was long gone. Kurama stayed behind because Hiei would find the others before he could even set a foot in the Ningenkai.

* * *

Botan's soul (just call it Botan kk) Woke up in a beautiful land of clouds and vortexes. It was like something from the twilight zone.  
  
"Botan?" came a voice. Botan turned to see Genkai.  
  
"Genkai!" Botan hugged her for the first time in a long time. "How did you get here? You weren't stabbed with the sword."  
  
"No but all souls go to the same place. Even lost souls." She said, "So tell me how your soul was sent here." Botan told Genkai the whole story and they had some catching up to do.

* * *

"Okay Hiei, we are here." A very angry Hiei dragged in Yusuke and Kuwabara. "But did you really have to walk into our classrooms and pick us up?"  
  
"Hn. Now toddler. Talk." Hiei ordered.  
  
"Bring me the sword and follow me." Koenma said in his cool teenage from. They followed Koenma to a pure white room with a pedestal in the middle and a circular door that lead nowhere. "Stick the sword into the pedestal." He said and Hiei did as he was told.  
  
"Now what?" Yusuke asked.  
  
"Now we wait." Koenma said

* * *

"Do you think they miss me?" Botan asked,  
  
"I'm sure they do." Genkai told her.  
  
"I wish I had told Hiei the truth." Botan looked at her hands  
  
"The truth about what?"  
  
"I love him," she said  
  
"Oh. I'm sure he knows." Genkai said. "Follow me."  
  
"Where are we going?" Botan asked her.  
  
"To my new temple."  
  
"You have a new temple?"  
  
"Well living in the Reikai is a lot like living in the living world only it's a whole new plane." Genkai explained.  
  
"Cool" Botan followed

* * *

as they waited a blue bolt of light ran through the circular door, and then a yellow, and the other colors. Then the door opened up to a colorful peaceful place.  
  
Hiei was about to charge in but was stopped by Koenma. "You must be warned that this has never been tested. You might never return. You would destroy the balance of the worlds if you get left in the Reikai without having died first." He said,  
  
"How long do we have before the door closes?" Kurama asked  
  
"I'm not sure, but is would guess you have two weeks to find her." he said. "If you find her I will put her back in her body." Koenma said "and keep in touch." He said mentioning the communication mirrors (they all have one) and let them go.  
  
Hiei, Kurama, Yusuke, Kuwabara walked in the door and were off to fine Botan. It would be harder than they thought but they were determined. And so the search began...

* * *

**Kuwabara:** Ooh, I can't wait.  
  
**Botan:** would you guys really go in after me?  
  
**All:** of course we would.  
  
**Star:** aw. I bet you feel loved, Botan  
  
**Botan:** n.n  
  
**Star:** my bro wants on again so bye 


	17. Where did they come from?

**Star:** sorry it took so long.  
  
**Kuwabara:** why are you so happy when you are sorry?  
  
**Star:** because I can have candy again.  
  
**Kurama:** oh really?  
  
**Star:** yes really. _Takes out a crunch bar._  
  
**Hiei:** Hn.  
  
**Star:** yep Hiei, this means I get to have sweet snow with ya.  
  
**Botan:** heh heh, I would not tell him that Star.  
  
**Yusuke:** yeah, Hiei has sharing issues.  
  
**Star: **on with the fic.

* * *

**PART 2 the search for Botan's soul  
  
_Where did they come from?_**

* * *

When they entered the Reikai it was a whole new experience. "How are we going to find her in this place. "Kuwabara asked. "We should split up."  
  
"That wouldn't be wise. Because then we would need to find each other "Kurama said.  
  
"Hiei, try that eye of yours." Yusuke said.  
  
"Hn, that was the first thing I tried, it does not work here." He said  
  
"Okay. I guess we can just pick a portal." Yusuke said "or, if you were Botan where would you go?"  
  
Kuwabara stood up straight, pretended to hold an oar and started to talk like Botan. "Oh, I love Hiei." He said in a girly voice. Hiei hit him with the hilt of his katana. "Ouch!"  
  
"If I were her and I was in Reikai, the first person I would see would be..." Yusuke pondered  
  
"Genkai!" They said in unison.

* * *

Botan and Genkai walking into the temple and sat down. "So how is the after life?" Botan asked. "I never really had one." She said sadly.  
  
"It is not as fun as life. Yusuke was a pain but I wish I could see that dimwit just once more." She smiled  
  
"Oh, Genkai. I am so glad that I get to spend this time with you. I missed you terribly when you died." She said. "You are like the mother I never had."  
  
Genkai smiled, "well you are like my daughter," she said. "I want you to have something of mine." She said and stood up. "Wait here."

* * *

"Where can we find Genkai?" Yusuke asked a stranger  
  
"She lives in the area of lost souls, about a mile that way." The man pointed east.  
  
The team walked to Genkai's Temple. Hiei was a little to eager to get there. He wanted to talk you Botan about her decision, about her promise, and tell her how he felt about her.  
  
"Well, if it isn't the Urameshi team." Came a voice. "Someone finally beat you?"  
  
"Aren't they the..." Kuwabara was flustered  
  
"The four saint beasts. Genbu, Byakko, Seiryu, and Suzaku." Kurama finished  
  
"So do they just let anyone in spirit world now?" Yusuke said,  
  
"What do you guys want?" Hiei asked.  
  
"We want to know how you died." Suzaku said,  
  
"Leave now." Hiei ordered  
  
"Can't we all let bygones be bygones?" Genbu said,  
  
"What do you really want?" Yusuke asked  
  
"..." They said nothing and left.  
  
"That was weird." Yusuke said  
  
"Hn." And Hiei continued to walk to Genkai's

* * *

"We should be able to get our revenge on the Urameshi team soon enough." Suzaku said.  
  
"My, theory is that they are not really dead. But we need to find out why they are here so, we need to follow them." He said  
  
"Oh! I'll do it, Suzaku, let me." Said a green bird (what is her name again? I can't remember)

* * *

Genkai returned with a small box. "Here this is for you. I should bring you luck and if you ever need to talk to me you can use that."  
  
Botan opened the box and unwrapped the cloth, inside was a clear spherical charm on a gold chain. "Wow, Genkai. This is so nice. Thank you." Botan said and hugged her.

* * *

**Hiei:** why did you put the four saint beasts in this one?  
  
**Star:** they were the only bad guys that I could think of at the moment. It is midnight you know. I have school tomorrow.  
  
**Kurama:** you should get your sleep.  
  
**Star:** Thank you Kurama, it's nice to know that some one cares. Good night 


	18. Found and Lost

**Star:** Yay! Another chappy  
  
**Hiei:** oh great._ (In a bored tone)_  
  
**Star:** what was that?  
  
**Kurama:** heh heh what he say was oh great! (_He said in a happy tone)  
_  
**Star:** I could kill you off in my story.  
  
**Hiei:** now you could not, because then the readers would hate you.  
  
**Star:** ...  
  
**Hiei:** Hn.  
  
**Star:** well I can make you a softy... like a teddy bear... a pink one  
  
**Hiei:** anything but that.  
  
**Star:** on with the fic

**PART 3 the search for Botan's soul  
  
_Found and Lost_**

the green bird flew after the Urameshi team, slowly flying behind them. They did not seem to know she was there because they never stopped walking. She followed them until they stopped at Genkai's shrine. "I wonder what's going on here?" the bird said and followed on in silence.  
  
"Genkai?" Yusuke asked as he walked to the door. Genkai wasn't looking and did not see whom it was who was calling her.  
  
"Go away, Botan is sleeping" she said "and you will wake her up if you keep yelling for me." She said still not looking up.  
  
"Oh, alright grandma. I guess we should leave then." Yusuke said  
  
"Dimwit?" she asked and looked to see Yusuke and the others. "Come on in. but be quiet." She said, "wait? What are you doing here? Did you all die?"  
  
"No. We are here for Botan. We need to save her soul." Kurama said as they all entered the house. "It is a long story." Kurama said and told her the story of how they were kidnapped and Genkai knew the rest because Botan had told her.  
  
"Hn." Hiei said and left the room.  
  
"Where are you going shrimp?" Kuwabara said.  
  
"Nowhere, as of it's any of your business." He said and was gone.

* * *

The green bird (can I just give her a new name? I know GB.) Had heard the whole story and was on her way back to Suzaku to tell him.  
  
"So they have a week to get the ferry girl back to the world of the living or they will be trapped here. Not only that. Since they are not dead we could kill them. They with he torn between worlds and lost forever." Suzaku said.  
  
"It's the perfect revenge." Said Byakko  
  
"Yes, first we can trap them here over time and then we will kill them." Seiryu said

* * *

Hiei had managed to find Botan's room. He slipped in to she her. She was sleeping so peacefully like an angle. Her blue hair was down and all around her sleeping visage (face). Her lips were a soft cherry color and Hiei blushed when he saw them. He did not want to wake her but he wanted to see her eyes. They captivated him.  
  
"Hiei..." Botan mumbled in her sleep. "Im sorry I broke the promise and your heart." She said. "All I ever..." she stopped.  
  
Hiei sat next to her and brushed a few blue hairs way from her face. When he saw her lips move once more. "I want you to trust me," she stopped. Hiei saw her pink lips tremble with agony so he gently touched them with his soft fingertips. She began to breathe normally.  
  
He moved his fingers away and leaned in to kiss her ever so lightly on the lips. It was a short and sweet kiss. "I forgive you," he said as he was about to leave her to sleep she stopped him with her words once more.  
  
"I love you, Hiei," she whispered. Hiei was shocked, first for kissing her, second for what she said. Hiei left the room in a flash.

* * *

"So dimwit, how have you been doing without me around to baby you?" Genkai joked.  
  
Yusuke only laughed and hugged her.  
  
"It's getting late maybe you should stay for a while." Genkai said.  
  
"I suppose we have time." Kurama said.  
  
"Oh, yeah, free vacation without Koenma to bother us about a mission." Yusuke shot up. "What do you think Botan will say when she sees us?"

* * *

Botan woke up with the breeze of the wind kissing her face. "I thought the window was closed." She breathed in the fresh air. Reikai was a beautiful place. It was nearly twilight and Botan felt cold on the inside, like something was missing. "Hiei." She said. "That dream felt so real." She said and brought a finger up to her lips, which were still tingling.  
  
"Do you always talk to your self?" came a voice from the open window. "Baka onna." He teased.  
  
"Hiei." Botan was shocked and she ran to his arms but stopped just before she reached him. "You are not real?" she said and looked down at the ground. Then she felt a warm hand on her cheek.  
  
"If I wasn't real could I do this..." he picked her up. And took her out the window, to the ground."  
  
"Hiei?" she hugged him and stepped back. "Are you dead? Oh no." she said and tears filled her eyes.  
  
"No, we came here to get you." he said  
  
"We?" Botan turned around.  
  
"Surprise!" the others yelled and hugged her.  
  
"Ha, you guys are the best." Botan said and hugged Kurama tightly. "Oh, I missed you brother." She let him go and smiled. She paused when she saw Hiei leave.  
  
"Hey, lets get some sleep, we have work to do you know." Kurama said only so Botan could be left to go after Hiei. The others knew this and went in.  
  
"Hiei? Please come back." She yelled after him. Then she heard a voice in the background. "Hiei?"  
  
"No." Suzaku hit her with a small bolt of lighting to knock her out. And she was gone.

* * *

**Hiei:** why do you do that?  
  
**Star:** do what?  
  
**Hiei:** add to the drama? We found her so now we can leave.  
  
**Star:** calm down this story is made up. _Starts to dance_ 99 red balloons.  
  
**Kurama:** oh god no.  
  
**Yusuke:** we will deal with her, just leave. 


	19. Hiei’s fate and Vow

**Hiei:** okay Star is getting out of hand.  
  
**Star:** whatcha talkin 'bout Hiei, dude?  
  
**Hiei:** Dude? You with that damn German song.  
  
**Star:** Oh you mean 99 red balloons? But I am singing the English version.  
  
**Kurama:** ...  
  
**Kuwabara:** I like that song _(starts to dance)_  
  
**Yusuke:** I will kill both of you.  
  
**Star:** on with the 99 red stories.

**PART4 the search for Botan's soul  
  
_Hiei's fate and Vow_**

Botan woke up when she felt a numbing in her arms. Her hair was loose and flying in the wind. She looked up to see that her arms were tied up by rope and she was tied to a tree. Struggle as she might she just could not get free.  
  
"You better stop moving." Murugu said (haha the birds name...Thanx Runaway Kogoro)  
  
"Let me go! What do you want with me?" Botan yelled. "You can't kill me I'm already dead."  
  
"But you can feel pain, and your friends can die." Suzaku said as Murugu landed on his shoulder. The other saint beasts were right behind him.  
  
"Let me torture her first." Byakko said,  
  
"No let me." Genbu said.  
  
"I will freeze her very soul. Let me do it." Seiryu added.  
  
"None of you will be touching her until we give them the ransom note." Suzaku said and hell a yellow envelope in the air that was tied together with a thorny weed.  
  
"Oh, let me deliver it. Please." Murugu said and when Suzaku gave her the note she was off.

* * *

**A little rewind**  
  
"Botan?" Hiei asked when he heard her yell his name. Hiei wanted to talk to her but he was confused. He loved her and yet he was not sure if her was ready to give the emotion that no one had the time to give him. But she did, she did give him that emotion. She gave him love. "What have I been thinking?" he asked himself and ran back to find Botan.  
  
When he arrived at the spot where she yelled from he saw no one. He looked around and thought she had gone back to the shrine. Hiei changed his mind about that theory when he found Botan's hair tie on the ground.  
  
**Present**  
  
"You say that Botan was taken?" Yusuke was trying to clarify what Hiei was saying to him.  
  
"We have to find her. We don't have much time left?" Kuwabara said, stating the obvious.  
  
"Why would take Botan? What would that accomplish?" Kurama asked himself. "I know!" he exclaimed. "Some one who wants us to stay, someone who wants to get revenge..."  
  
"The saint beasts." Everyone said and they were out the door in a matter of moments but stopped when Murugu flew by and dropped a note and was gone.  
  
Hiei was the first one to pick you the note, he read:  
  
**_Dear Urameshi team,  
  
we have the girl and if you wish to see her again I suggest you drop by. (There was a map on the page leading to a forest (not a castle, for once))  
  
PS: we will take good care of her...  
  
The Four Saint beasts  
_**  
Hiei held back the urge to rip the paper to shreds. Fate was against him at every turn, he was just about to tell her that he loved her, and she gets taken away. Hiei vowed that when he got Botan back, and he would, that he would never let her go.  
  
_And they set off to find Botan, to take her back home..._

* * *

Botan felt tears of pain fall down her cheek as Byakko hit her again and again. She was bruised on her arms and legs, bloody but she stood tall with every blow, Because Botan's thoughts remained on her hero. Her Hiei.  
  
"Master, she will not break." Byakko said,  
  
"I shall break her." Seiryu said and he walked up the Botan. He slapped her across the face, causing her to hit the tree with such force that she almost blacked out. She still stood tall. Seiryu smiled at her, put his hand to her chest (not too low) and Botan felt cold enter her body. She could feel her heart literally freeze. The pain she felt was so great that she screamed.  
  
"Just kill me now." She yelled. And Seiryu stopped.  
  
"I told you I would break her." he said "that is enough torture for today." The saint beast's left her to rest.  
  
When they were gone Botan was still shivering. The rope was cutting into her skin causing hot sticky blood to drip down her arms. She couldn't feel most of her limbs and her heart was beating harshly as the ice melted. Tears continued to flow from her eyes. She tried with her last ounce of energy to look for the moon, but the moon was gone. She could only see the lonely stars. "Hiei." She whispered in pain. 'Am sorry that I never got to tell you how much I love you.' Botan thought before she left sleep clam her.

* * *

**Hiei:** Hn  
  
**Botan:** ouch that sounds like it hurts.  
  
**Star:** 99 blue balloons  
  
**Kuwabara:** 99 yellow balloons  
  
**Yusuke:** I'm going to kill both of you.  
  
**Star:** 99 good night peoples 


	20. Too little too late

**Star:** 99 green, orange, purple... balloons  
  
**Hiei:** Kurama. Shut her up.  
  
**Kurama:** why me? And how? _(Gets an idea.)_ I Know. _(Grabs Star and kisses her)_  
  
**Star:** what now? Where am I?  
  
**Yusuke:** that worked. Now what about Kuwabara?  
  
**Kurama:** I am not kissing him.  
  
**Hiei:** I don't blame you.  
  
**Star:** (_looks out window)_ is that Yukina?  
  
_(Kuwabara runs out the door.)_  
  
**Hiei:** good one.  
  
**Star:** On with the 99 story. (heh heh heh)

**PART 5The search for Botan's soul**

  
**_Too little to late_**

"Hiei?" Kurama questioned as Hiei stopped in his tracks.  
  
"I thought I heard...never mind." He said and continued to walk._ 'Botan?'_  
  
"Hiei?" Botan shot up. And winced in pain. "Where are you?"  
  
_'In your head. Are you okay?'_ Hiei asked  
  
_'I could be better. But listen, it's too late for me. So just stay away. They know that...'_ her voice stopped.  
  
'Botan?'  
  
Botan was hit across the face. "Now now now you don't want to spoil the ending of the movie do you?" Suzaku said. Botan closed her eyes and let the darkness clam her.  
  
"Damn!" Hiei said and the others looked at him.  
  
"You were communicating with her, were you not?" Kurama asked.  
  
"Yes, but she was cut off. She was warning me of something." Hiei said, "We have to find her."  
  
"What is it with you? You have been acting strangely, ever since you save us from your father." Yusuke said  
  
"What's it to you?" Hiei asked.  
  
"Do you have a widdle crush on our Botan?" Yusuke teased  
  
Hiei fought off the urge to blush and continued to walk.  
  
They entered that dark part of the forest and saw Botan's bloody and beaten from. "What did you do to her?" Hiei asked as the spirit beasts appeared.  
  
"No more than what you would do to us." Suzaku said,  
  
"Is she..." Kuwabara started  
  
"Shut up Baka!" Hiei did not want to hear those words.  
  
"You will be joining her soon enough." Suzaku said. "I take my leave of you now. "Genbu was the first up. I will kill all of you.," he said "starting with you Kurama." He said  
  
Kurama was ready. But was interrupted. "They can't die. Just run. Leave me." Came a soft voice.  
  
"Botan?" they all asked as they looked at her.  
  
"Leave!" she ordered. "It's too late for me. Go before you are killed and can't return to the palace." Botan said and felt a warm hand cover her mouth.  
  
"Shut up, baka onna." Hiei said, "I will not leave you." he whispered and cut her down. She fell limply into his arms.  
  
"You don't have time for me, just go." She said.  
  
"Come on Kurama, we have Botan, lets get out of here." Yusuke said, "you heard Botan, there is nothing we can do to stop them." These were the last word Botan could hear before she let sleep clam her.  
  
"That's right, just put her soul in her body." Koenma said. "Hiei will you take her to her room." Koenma asked  
  
Hiei picked up Botan and did as he was told. He placed her gently in her bed. Her window was open, letting the moonlight gloss over her skin. Her hair was covering her face. Hiei moved strands of her blue hair. He could not resist the beauty of her skin. He leaned him and he could feel her lips tremble a bit when his brushed across hers. He backed up, like so many times before. But he looked down at her. "Forgive my weakness." He whispered. He lowered his head once more and kissed her softly on her pink lips.  
  
Botan's eyes opened when she felt him. "Hiei?" she whispered against his lips. He stiffened when he heard her voice. But only pressed his lips harder. Botan let out a small moan. She wanted more, so she licked his lips. Hiei was not ready for it but he glided his tongue though her lips. He pulled back and was about to leave her.  
  
"Hiei?" Botan asked as she stood up.  
  
"Lay back down." he ordered as she stumbled toward him. "Hn, what do you want?"  
  
"I want you to stay with me." She pleaded.  
  
"Why?" he asked,  
  
"I love you." she whispered and crashed into him. He wrapped his arms around her and she wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
"Love?" he whispered.  
  
"Uh huh." Botan let out in a daze. "I do."  
  
"I guess. No I know. I love you too." Hiei said and pushed her down onto the bed. "Get some sleep now." He said, "Tomorrow is another day." He tried to leave but her arms where still wrapped tightly around him. "Botan." he felt himself being pulled on top of her.  
  
"Don't go." She said. Hiei rolled off of her and held her close to him as sleep clamed them both.

* * *

**Kuwabara:** (panting) that... was... not...Yukina.  
  
**Star:** sorry I guess I was wrong.  
  
**Hiei:** Yay the story is over. (Gets up to leave)  
  
**Star:** (pulled him back) oh no you don't. I'm going to write another one. And here is a preview....  
  
_Botan was running, running far away. She had not use for Koenma. He had lied to her for the last time. He was possessed buy a dark force and the three worlds where being taken over by a dark man. Botan was his slave but she had gotten way. Botan thought about ending her life but that was impossible. She had no escape. She had nowhere to go.  
  
The Urameshi team had split up two years ago, leaving her. She hadn't spoken to Yukina, Kayko or Shizuru in a year. Botan was alone. She wanted the team to reassemble. But she would never find them in time. She had to try and find them to get them to help. Botan set off in search of her old friends.  
_  
**Star:** look for it in fics near you.  
  
**All:** p-p' yeah sure. Night all.  
  
**Kurama:** (whispers) tell Star what you think about her new story. Please. 


	21. A note plz read

**Star** I just wanted to let you know that the next story I am writing will be a sequel to South and Souther. It is called Remind and Remember. Look for it. Or . So that is all I have to say so TTFN


End file.
